Cultivator



N0. 6l5,|60. Patented Nov. 29, I898. L. W. GBAUEBHULZ.

CULTIVATOR.

(Application filed. Mar, 3, 1898.)

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N0. 6|5,l60. Patented Nov. 29, I898.

L. W. GRAUERHOLZ.

CULTIVATOR.

(Application filed Mar. 3, 1898.) (N 0 M o d e I 2 Sheets-Shaet 2lNVENTU/Q A TTOHNE Y8.

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. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIA W. GRAUERHOLZ, OF KENSINGTON, KANSAS.

CU LTIVATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 615,160, dated November29, 1898.

A li ti fil d March 3, 1898. Serial No. 672,413. (No model.)

T 0 all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIA W. GRAUER- HOLZ, of Kensington, in the countyof Smith and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Cultivators, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

The object of my invention is to provide a cultivator especially adaptedfor the cultivation of corn and which is so constructed that two rows ofcorn may be cultivated at one passage of the machine across the field. I

A further object of the invention is to provide for any desired numberof plows carried by each cultivator-beam or the use of a single set ofplows, if desired, and,furthermore, to provide for the adjustment of theplows relative to the ground and the speedy return of the plows to thesoil in the event they meet with an obstruction, the return taking placealmost instantly after the obstruction has been passed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine or implementof the character above described which will be exceedingly simple,durable, and economic in its construction.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of theseveral parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed outin the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved machine. Fig. '2 is alongitudinal section taken through the axle adjacent to one of thesupporting-wheels and at one side of the pole; and Fig. 3 is atransverse section through the plow-beams, the sleeve of the axle beinglikewise in section.

The axle 10 is an arched axle and carries at its spindle portionssupporting-wheels 11. The axle at its bow or horizontal section isprovided with a sleeve 12, which exteriorly is usually of polygonalshape. At or near each end of the sleeve 12 a collar 13 is mounted, thebore whereof is fitted to the exterior of the sleeve, and the saidcollars are provided with lugs 14 in transverse alinement, as shown inFig. 3. The lugs of the collars are adapted to be above the sleeve 12,and when the lugs are in this position the collars are locked to theaxle and the sleeve likewise,through the medium of set-screws 15, passedthrough the bottom of the said collars, through openings in the bottomof the sleeve 12, and to an engagement with the axle. The axle may bemade in two parts, as indicated in Fig. 3.

Each collar is adapted to carry an upright, and each upright isordinarily constructed of two side bars 16, connected at the top by ablock 17, having a suitable eye formed therein at the back, and thelower ends of the side pieces 16 of each upright are pivoted upon a boltor a pin 18, passed through the lugs 14 of a collar 13, as shown in Fig.3. An arm 19 is fulcrumed between the members of each upright upon thepin 18, pivoting the said upright, and the said arms 19 extendforwardly, as shown in Fig. 2, and beneath each pivoted arm 19 an arm 21is secured to the collar 13,over which the pivoted arm is placed, a rod22, provided with a suitable head at each end, being passed through theforward ends of the upper and lower arms 19 and 21, while a spring 23 iscoiled around each rod, bearing against the lower portion of the lowerfixed arm 21 and against the lower head of the pin 22, as is also shownin Fig. 2.

Each upright is provided with fingers 20, which extend beneath and to anengagement with the pivoted arms 19, so that when the uprights arecarried rearward the spring 23 will be placed under tension, and whentension is removed from the upper ends of the said uprights 'the springs23 will restore the said uprights to their normal position. The tongueor' pole 24 is secured upon the central portion of the sleeve 12 of theaxle. A whiffletree is pivoted on the said pole, being designated by thenumeral 25, and the whiffletree is provided with an equalizer consistingof a lever-arm 26, pivoted to the tongue or pole at the rear of thewhiffletree, and links 27, which extend from the lever-arm to aconnection with the said whiffletree, as shown best in Fig. 1.

Bars 28, which are a part of the frame of the device, are attached tothe poleor tongue at each side in front of the whiffletree, being curvedoutwardly at their forward ends and carried rearwardly to a point overthe axle and through clips 29, which are secured to the axle.Seat-supporting bars 30 are adj ustably attached to the frame-bars 28.These seat supporting bars are carried rearwardly beyond the axle andare connected by a crossbar 31, upon which the drivers seat 32 isplaced. The seat-bars 30 are also supported in st-irrups 30 at the rearends of the seatbars 28. Braces 33 are attached to the spindle portionsof the axle and are carried upward to the side bars 28 of the frame inorder to impart the necessary rigidity to the said frame. A cross-bar 34is pivoted upon the under face of the tongue or pole 24 at a point infront of the whiiiietree 25. The said crossbar extends beyond the sidebars 28 of the frame and is usually attached to the said side bars, andthe cross-bar 34 is provided at its ends with a number of apertures oropenings Forwardly and downwardly inclined attaching-bars 36 are adjustably carried by the cross-bar 34 by passing suitable bolts throughthe attaching-bars and through desired openingsin the cross-bar 34, asshown in both Figs. 1 and 2. Two plow-beams A and B are car ried by theframe of the machine. Each plow-beam consists of a forwardupwardlycurved section 37,which is adjustably secured to one of theattaehing-bars 36. At the lower end of the forwardly-curved section 37of the plow-beam two zigzag bars 38 and 39 are pivotally attached, theinner bar being of greater length and extending farther rearwardly thanthe outer bar, and the rear ends of the two bars 38 and 39 are straight,and the space between the two members or bars 38 and 39 is about equalthroughout its length, except where said members 38 and 39 are broughttogether and are connected with the upwardlycurved forward member 37through the medium of a suitable pivot-bolt 40. Plowshares 41, of anysuitable description, are carried by the members 38 and 39 of theplow-beam, and the plowshares are preferably so placed that the sharesupon one member will alternate with the shares upon the other member.

About centrally between the ends of the members of a plow-beam apivot-bolt 42 is located, as shown in Fig. 3, and upon the inner end ofthe pivot'bolt a stirrup 43 is placed, adapted to receive the driversfoot. A tube 44 is pivoted on the pin or bolt 42, and the said tube isprovided with a series of apertures 45, adapted to receive a locking-pin46, and at the forward upper portion of the tube 44 an eye or a hook 47is formed, to which the upper end of a spring 48 is attached, the lowerend of the said spring being secured to an arm 49 or equivalent supportprojected inwardly from the outer member 39 of the plow-beam, asillustrated in Fig. 1. An arm 50 is made to adjustably enter each of thetubes 44, pivoted to a plow-beam, and the upper end of each arm 50 ispivotally attached to the block 17, connecting the side pieces 16 of theuprights carried by the axle.

The adjustment of the arms 50 in the tubes 44 will regulate the depth towhich the plowshares may normally enter the ground, the locking-pins 46being adapted to pass not only through the tubes 44, but through theentering arms 50. In order that the arms 50 may be convenientlyoperated, they are provided with handles 50. The forward end portions ofthe plow-beams proper are supported in a measure by springs 51, attachedto the said beams usually where they are connected and to collars formedupon the vertical sections of the axle 10, as shown particularly in Fig.3.

In operation as the machine is drawn forward the attachment between theuprights carried by the axle and the plow-beams may be such as to holdthe plowshares normally out of engagement with the ground, and theshares may be forced into the ground by the driver exerting downwardpressure on the stirrups 43, or the connection between the arms 50 andthe tubes 44 may be such as to compel the shares to enter the ground acertain distance, beyond which distance they may be forced into theground by pressure on the stirrups. lVhen extra downward pressure isexerted upon the plow-beams, the springs 23 will be placed undertension, and when such pressure is removed the plowbeams will berestored to their normal position, and in the event the plowsharesshould strike an obstruction and the beams are forced upward the springs48 will be placed under tension, so that the moment the obstruction hasbeen passed the plow-beams will return automatically to their normalposition. The extent to which the beams may be lifted is regulated bythe adjustment of the collars 13 on the axle.

The forward uprights 10 serve as a brace and prevent the plow zigzaggingsidewise, and

the arms 50, connected with said uprights and adj ustably fitted in thesockets 44, serve as adjusters, regulating the depth of running, andalso serve, when taken in connection with the uprights 16, as braces forthe beam. The uprights 16 and arms 50 are also employed in raising andlowering the plows out of and into the ground. When the arms 50 arecarried sufficiently forward to enable them to rest upon the collars 13,the arms constitute a lock, enabling the plows to be carried in anelevated position.

The polygonal sleeve 12 on the axle and the collars 13 are principallyemployed for regulating the space between the two sets of plow-beams,the members of the axle being separated, and the sleeve and collars alsotend to the proper balancing of the frame upon the wheels, being madestationary by the use of the set-screws 15.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. A cultivator, comprising a wheeled frame,

'a tongue provided with a cross-bar, plowbeams, each consisting of anupwardly-curved section having its front end pivotally connected to thecross-bar of the tongue, and two zigzag bars pivoted to the rear ends ofthe curved sections, the inner bar being of greater length than theouter bar, shares a1 ternately arranged on the said bars, and means forindependently controlling the up-' upper ends of the uprights,substantially as described.

3. In a cultivator, the combination with the frame, and the axle, ofplow-beams, each consisting of a forwardly and upwardly curved sectionpivoted to the frame, and members of zigzag form connected together andpivoted to the forward section, and springs secured to the plow-beamsand to the axle, substantially as described.

4. In a cultivator, the combination with a wheeled frame having itstongue provided with a cross-bar, of plow-beams, each consisting of anupwardly-curved bar having its front end pivotally and adj ustablyconnected with the said cross-bar, and two zigzag bars of unequal lengthand pivoted to the rear end of the curved bar, and shares alternatelyarranged on said zigzag bars, substantially as herein shown anddescribed.

'LOUIA V. GRAUERHOLZ.

Witnesses:

E. E. BARNETT, H. F. GoRMAN.

